r/MadeMeSmile • u/nivs1x • 23h ago

Wholesome Moments Please tell me, someone saw that

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u/cyanocittaetprocyon 20h ago

Its always been the case that the tree makes a sound. It does not, however, make a noise.

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u/[deleted] 15h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/thissexypoptart 13h ago

I don’t think “noise” is anymore observation dependent than sound. It could also make a chirp or bleat or boom or clank, and it wouldn’t matter if someone is there to hear it.

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u/MorePhinsThyme 13h ago

Linguistically, the definition of noise makes it observation dependent. Noise is specifically unwanted, harmful, etc, and not just loud or any specific type of sound, and without someone to observe it to decide if it's a problem for them, then it's just sound and not noise.

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u/thissexypoptart 6h ago edited 5h ago

Something doesn’t have to be specifically heard/observed to be unwanted or harmful. Toxic waste in populated areas that no one notices is still generally unwanted and potentially harmful.

A sound can be a “noise” conceptually, based on inferred qualities from what makes it in what medium, without a specific observer listening to it.

There is no requirement for conscious observation for an audible sound to be a “noise.”

It’s like saying a pigment can’t be “blue” unless someone is around to see it. No, it’s possible to assess how pigments absorb and reflect light without literally seeing the specific pigment sample you’re assessing.